3.5 stars. I'm sick and this was the perfect light and whimsical read I needed.

I'm not even usually one for parallel universes but the premise sounded completely up my ally and I've had the Fairyloot version (gorgeous) gracing my shelves. Since I'm too sick to concentrate on my TBR ebooks, I turned to my physicals that I've been overlooking.

I loved a lot about this book:
- It truly considers how different life choices would net different results in different lives
- Childhood trauma and how that informs some of the approach you have on life (as well as family dynamics)
- Frank the Spider
- Dax
- Strong family relationships
- The comfort of coffee and donuts
- Steamy romance
- Gemma's personal growth as she experienced the dreams she'd ignored
- Most beautifully: that maybe the choices you think are less than desirable are actually what made the best choices possible

Few things I didn't like:
- There was too much alt Dax; I really wish we would have spent more time on BFF Dax because they felt like two different people rather than alternative versions of themselves
- I wanted more reality after alt reality; I felt the shift was too abrupt

Also, does anyone else wonder what happens to the other timeline??? Like, she mucks it up and leaves and I know that isn't the point of the story but I can't help but wonder about it also...because otherwise I would have preferred it to be a vision or something where you know it wasn't actually real (like The Christmas Sweater or A Christmas Carol).

Recommended as a light and whimsical afternoon read.